Birth Center or Hospital: Which One to Choose?

From the moment a woman realizes she’s pregnant, she has, more often than not, already decided where she would be welcoming her baby. Traditionally, more mothers are bound to choose a hospital, but options like an accredited birth centers are becoming more popular today. Both establishments have their pros and cons and for something as special as the birth of a child, making an informed decision the only way to go.

A Traditional Hospital Birth

Most parents are more comfortable in a hospital setting. The access to emergency medical care is
easy and an epidural is readily available when needed. It is also common to have a nurse with the mother through most of the labor, while the obstetrician comes in when delivery time comes closer. The downside to a hospital birth, however, is the impersonal interaction with the staff. Most mothers are forced to comply with strict rules and policies, which makes it intimidating and uncomfortable.

A Birth Center Delivery

A birth center is an alternative for parents who want a home-like environment for childbirth instead of a hospital. Places like the Spartanburg Birth Center offer tranquility and comfort while still providing quality mother and child care. A birth center is also less expensive than a hospital. It is important to note that mothers should have an uncomplicated and low-risk pregnancy because some birth centers are not equipped with an operating room for emergency care.

It takes careful consideration and planning before choosing a birthing place. Always have yourself, your comfort zone, and your baby in mind. Remember, an informed decision is the best decision.

Delivering with a Doula

The birthing process is scary and no mother wants to go through it feeling insecure… most especially when there are complications to be expected. During these situations, a birthing coach or a “doula” is an option expecting mothers can consider. These ladies provide extra support in the emotional, physical, and informational sense. Doulas help women through the challenges of childbirth, particularly during labor. They serve as a pillar of strength and support for expecting mothers and fathers alike throughout the whole pregnancy. A doula is fully dedicated to all of an expecting mother’s needs: after all, their name does mean “women’s servant” in Greek.

Benefits of Having a Doula by Your Side

Although a doula is not yet common practice in hospitals, there have already been several studies showing the positive effects of employing doulas. During childbirth, mothers experience shorter labors and fewer complications. The rates of caesarean deliveries, the need for oxytocin for faster labor, and the use of force are also all greatly reduced. Mothers in labor are also confident enough to decline the use of pain medication and epidurals when there is a doula by their side.

More mothers are satisfied with their childbirth and experience less postpartum depression after leaving the hospital or birth center. Because of the doula’s constant support and attention for the mothers, babies stay in the hospital for a shorter period and cases of special care are reduced. Mothers and babies are then able to bond faster through breastfeeding.

Doulas and Birth Centers

Pregnancy is a delicate time for a mother and her child. It’s important to find a right place and the right people as a support system. A place like the Spartanburg Birth Center and a doula by your side can give you the comfort and peace of mind you need when you’re in labor.

The Best Breathing Exercises While in Labor

Have you noticed that all hospital bedsides have oxygen tanks beside them? It’s hospital protocol to always have the patient prepare an oxygen cannula or mask. Why is this so? It’s simply because the fastest and easiest way to start relieving pain is to provide oxygen. For mothers who opt to give birth at home or at the birthing center, you can do away with the irritating cannula if you know how to do proper deep breathing. 

Here’s a little bit of medical information. When we breathe deeply, a surge of oxygen enters our body. It buffers acid wastes and toxins in our body and also pushes fluid out of our tissues. This results to better oxygen-nutrient exchange. Usually, though, when one feels pain, we breathe shallowly. It doesn’t help. Breathing deeply relaxes our muscles and reduces the stress. This is very helpful for mothers who are experiencing excruciating contractions in short intervals. 

For mothers in labor, deep breathing lessens the pain and makes them more relaxed. Aside from these, it also provides self-control and increases their strength and energy which they need during the second stage of labor where they push the baby out. 

Inhale while thinking of the syllable “re” and exhale while you think “lax”. This breathing technique reduces the tension in the muscles when one is stressed. Next is counted breathing where you count to four as you breathe in and do the same when you breathe out. Lastly, you can do pursed lip breathing. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth with your lips pursed. 

It’s better to practice doing these breathing exercises while you’re still expecting. It would be easier for you to apply them the moment actual labor begins. If you’re planning to give birth at home or at a birthing center, you can always have someone to coach you. The Spartanburg midwifery team is more than willing to teach you proper breathing techniques. Being ready for labor makes everything better. Remember that it also prevents complications from happening. If done right, you wouldn’t need to give birth in the hospital and you can have the natural childbirth that you’ve been aiming for.

Keep Calm and Breathe through the Pain

Breathe in; breathe out. A new life is about to be welcomed into the world. Before you can hold your baby in your arms, there are still a lot of challenges you have to go through, but we know that it’s all worth it in the end. The most pressing and perhaps the most daunting aspect of child birth is the labor a mother has to go through. After all, it’s not called labor for nothing.

It is a well-known fact that pain is synonymous with childbirth, but it’s not something to fear, especially when you’ve come prepared and ready for the hours of labor to come. The first thing to keep in mind when you’re going through labor, especially if you are a first-time mother-to-be, is to relax. Next is to find an environment that’s soothing and comfortable for you during this time, while at the same time securing a team of capable experts that you can trust.

It is also true that some mothers are actually wary about giving birth in a hospital because it’s not a comfortable place where they feel safe and secure. This is why more and more expecting mothers and couples opt for the option like the Spartanburg Birth Center where they know they are both in good hands of professionals while remaining in a place that feels like home.

Giving birth is no easy task and managing the pain that comes with it can get exhausting, but don’t keep it all to yourself. Talking to someone you trust and rely on can help you calm your fears. Practice your rhythmic breathing and focus on something that makes you happy during contractions, this can take your mind off the pain.

Just relax, breathe, and surround yourself with people you trust. Before you know it, you’ll be cradling that bundle of joy you’ve been expecting for 9 months.

When Spartanburg midwifery specialists make childbirth comfortable

Every mother wants the arrival of their newborn to be without hassle. Even your mom’s stories about how they gave birth to you can pale in comparison to what you or someone you know will experience when in labor. However, medical trends are shifting from delivering at hospitals with help from gynecologists to smaller healthcare centers in the hands of people like Spartanburg midwifery professionals. There are a number of reasons to enlist the services of a midwife.

 

Devotion, Dedication

Midwives are trained to look after mothers with low risk of miscarriage; as such, they are tasked with spending a lot of time addressing your needs during and after the pregnancy. They are willing to answer important questions and give you and your partner enough space to take stock of the answers and arrive at a decision. In many cases, the father should also be present as midwives will also guide them on vital points.

 

Woman’s Intuition

A woman’s natural tendency is to feel safe around fellow women – and a mother-midwife relationship is no different. Their presence may calm the mother during critical stages of the pregnancy; it can be a bonus if the midwife is also a mother. A team of midwives you entrust with your welfare at a credible Spartanburg birth center can pull together to ensure your pregnancy is stable, like a doting set of elder sisters. Motherhood is an exciting time to prepare for. Your preferred midwife will help you through the process.

Have a Spartanburg Birth Center Help with Your Natural Childbirth

Giving birth to your child is a special occasion. For many women, this is usually done in hospitals with the assistance of doctors and medication. Admittedly, labor and the birth itself can be a painful experience. However, quite a few pregnant moms have eschewed anesthesia and decided to go for natural childbirth.

The Benefits

Deciding to undergo natural childbirth may seem foolhardy in this day and age, but doing so has several hidden benefits. First, without an epidural dulling the pain, labor is shorter. This is because the contractions help indicate the best times to push. Second, there is less chance of the need for medical intervention. Modern anesthesia disrupts the flow of labor and can necessitate the need for a C-section or similar methods.

Third, babies are born more alert; this is because the epidural that is often given to mothers is passed on to their children during labor. With more aware babies, breastfeeding can start earlier. Fourth, women can recover quicker. Anesthesia can put new mothers under a haze, while the natural endorphins produced by childbirth help calm them down and relieve pain naturally.

 

Preparing for It

For women who want to have a natural birth, there needs to be a bit of preparation. First, a birth plan is needed to ensure it goes smoothly. The plan should answer where you want to give birth and who will be attending you, whether it is a midwife or a doctor. An excellent example of a place to have your natural birth is the comfortable Spartanburg birth center, Labors of Love. Staffed with experienced midwives, it is a fine choice.

Secondly, a mother should prepare themselves for the birth emotionally, physically, and mentally. This is done by consulting midwives and reading about natural birth. Additionally, there are Lamaze classes that help ready women for the experience.

Be Natural

For South Carolina residents seeking assistance with their natural childbirth, the experienced Spartanburg midwifery of the staff at Labors of Love can help make things easier. So do not hesitate in choosing nature’s option.

What a Natural Childbirth at Spartanburg Birth Center Means to Mothers

Some mothers-to-be can’t help feeling fear over the thought of giving birth, and how childbirth is portrayed in pop culture has not exactly helped alleviate the fear of these moms-to-be. Parents have an option to give birth at a hospital setting. A natural childbirth at a Spartanburg birth center is also an option, and here are the advantages these moms-to-be can expect.

Freedom of Movement

Unlike hospital settings where the moms-to-be are asked to lie on their backs in hospital beds, natural childbirth allows them to move as freely as they choose to. This way, these would-be parents can use gravity to their advantage. Of course, an experienced midwife will still be there to assist these individuals and get whatever they need.

All-out Involvement

Giving birth in Spartanburg hospitals allow pregnant women to choose medications so they can manage the pain associated with childbirth. However, such medicines limit their senses and make them feel groggy to the point that they are unclear on what is happening to them. With natural childbirth at a Greenville birth center, moms-to-be have an opportunity to be involved 100 percent in the process, making them empowered.

Quick Recovery Time

With medications like epidurals, moms-to-be take time to fully recover and get back to their old self at which time they miss out on special moments. With natural childbirth with a midwife’s help, these moms are quick to bounce back; some can even take a walk right after giving birth if they so please. For this reason, these women who just gave birth can get right on with spending time with their precious babies and maybe even take a selfie or two for their social network accounts. After all, giving birth is a life-changing event.

Labor is not exactly a walk in the park, but it should not be such a struggle either. While hospital settings give moms plenty of options when it comes to medications, the potent effects can result in mothers not fully experiencing what labor is like. For this reason, natural childbirth is a good and equally safe alternative, but it affords priceless benefits.